A Second Chance
by L. Dakforest
Summary: AU. Shonen Ai. After the war, with the death of the homunculi, Edward has achieved what he set out to do, and, for once, finds the price to be acceptable. Yet, even with his future looking brighter than ever, he cannot escape the horrors of his past.


Disclaimer: I do not own FullMetal Alchemist.

Warnings: Shonen Ai.

This story was created upon the request of a friend for some fluff. I don't think I made it but I am pleased with the result never the less. I shall have to work on more 'pointless fluff' stories, I guess. Anyway, Enjoy.

A Second Chance

By

Leilith Dakforest

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"Come on, Alphonse! Catch!" The ball hurtled through the air toward the brown-haired boy. High overhead, the sun shone down on the green field, the clouds like white boulders of cotton candy caught up on the wind. Blue jays flitted through the trees, almost lost in the bright blue of the sky overhead.

"I got it! I got it!"

The long red coat was the only thing that distinguished that there was a person lingering in the shadows beneath the trees. Edward Elrick watched as his little brother laughed and ran through the field with his friends. Happy. Carefree. Little more than ten years old. He could still remember the look on his bother's face when Ed had presented him with his ten year birthday cake. Winry and her grandmother had been there as well, as had the friends Alphonse had made when he had returned to school. He was truly a little boy again.

Ed smiled as he watched the boys continue to play their game, before sighing to himself. The brightness in his smile faded as he glanced down at his gloved hands. The leaves shifted, and his automail glinted in the brief sunlight where his sleeve had slipped back to expose his metal wrist. There were times that he envied Al, being allowed to forget everything, as if it had never happened. Edward had never told Alphonse the truth of what had happened to him. He didn't remember anything. He had been given a second chance. It would have been unfair of him to force his little brother to bear that burden again.

Instead, Ed explained to Al that, that night, when they had tried to bring their mother back to life, the alchemy had taken him instead. Ed had spent years trying to get his brother back. He had told Al about the door, and said that he had seen Al there, asleep, unable to pass on, unable to awaken. Ed had given his arm to bind Al's spirit to himself, to place a barrier around his soul so that the creatures that lived with the door could not get to him, and he would be safe.

Now, seventeen years old, Edward had returned to his home, had built up a new house for him and his little brother, a now made his living doing research for the state and raising his little brother. Occasionally their Teacher would stop by and they would enjoy long discussions. Ed was not so foolish as to try to prevent his brother from learning alchemy again, but he instead was guiding him, and teaching him, firmly, where the lines were and why they should never be crossed.

A cry rent the air, and looking up, Ed saw that one of the boys had fallen and cut his knee badly on a stone. Alphonse was already there, inspecting the wound as the other boys gathered around, remarking about the blood. Pushing off from the tree, Ed calmly strode over to the boys, pushing heads aside to give him room and knelt next to his brother, glancing briefly over the wound before turning to Al.

"What do you think, Al?" He asked, taking the opportunity to test his brother. The wound was shallow, almost superficial. Alphonse turned to his big brother, his wide eyes sharp as he review his lessons on medical alchemy. After all the killing that was done for the philosopher's stone, it was a field of alchemy that bore a peculiar appeal to Edward, and Alphonse, being the natural caretaker he was, was determined to excel in it and become a doctor some day.

"Do you want to give it a try, or do you want me to do it?" Ed asked, studying his brother's face. Around them, the other boys were beginning to whisper excitedly. Jaw set, Al nodded his head and turned back to his friend.

"This wont hurt." He promised and drew a simple circle around the wound in the boy's own blood. Then, very slowly, very carefully, Al summoned the energy and closed the wound until only the blood already shed remained. Giving a shout of glee, the Elrick brothers watched as the boy jumped up to his feet and started running around, the others chasing after him. Ed looked up to the sky.

"I think that's enough for one day, Brother. Let's go home."

"'Kay. I'll see you guys later!"

"Bye Al!"

"See you!"

Together, the two brothers turned and made their way across the fields toward their home. Almost unconsciously, Al's hand sought out his brothers, always needing the reassurance that he was real and that he wasn't going anywhere.

The clouds passed leisurely overhead as the sun began to dip low in the sky. The grassy fields rippled in the winds and the birds sang in the trees.

"Big Brother?" Al asked some time later, the roof of their home starting to show in the distance.

"What is it, Al?" He inquired, not looking down at his brother. It was a point of some pleasure for ed that, for the time being anyway, he could still look down at his brother, although, he thought, it wouldn't be that way for too much longer.

"When is Roy coming home?"

Edward couldn't help the smile at the almost plaintive note in the ten-year-old's voice, nor could he help the little twinge in his heart. "Soon, Al. The Fuehrer called him away on some business but he should be home soon."

"It's about your book though, isn't it."

"Yeah, Al. It is. They are trying to figure out who should get copies of it and who shouldn't."

"But it's knowledge, isn't it? Shouldn't everyone see it. They need to know just how dangerous it is." Ed sighed.

"Would we have heeded the warnings in my book, Al, when our mother died?" Ed inquired solemnly, squeezing his brother's hand. He got no response. Slowly, their house drew closer and closer and the sun sank lower toward the horizon.

Suddenly, Al gave a great gasp and wrenched himself from his brother's grip, taking off at a dead run toward their house. There, seated on the porch, was a raven haired man, shirt open to the wind, boots propped up on the rail.

"ROY!" Al shouted out to his favorite new Big Brother. Ed paused in his steps, he too old eyes taking in the sight of the two of them, his family. He just stood there, watched as Mustang dropped his feet to the floor and opened his arms to Alphonse, returning the boy's bear hug. He must have brought more goodies home from Central because Al dropped back to the floor and disappeared inside the house without a backward glance.

Unbidden, from the back of his mind, the hollow clank of metal on metal echoed the boy's footsteps and his body ached where the automail had been bonded to his nerves. Then visions of the homunculi assaulted him: Lust, Gluttony, Pride, Greed… Wrath… Envy… Sloth, frozen in place, slowly evaporating as the ethanol in her body dispersed into the atmosphere. The monster's ragged breath when they had tried to bring her back to life…

Then there was a pressure on his flesh shoulder, and gentle fingers beneath his chin. Ed found himself looking up into his partner's beautiful face, and found the dark shadow reflected in the flame alchemist's eyes. Ed smiled.

"Welcome home, Sparky." A glint shone in Roy's eyes.

"I'm the one who should be welcoming you, My Little One." Ed was about to protest, but found his mouth occupied with something far more urgent than his own indignation. Instead, he settled for fisting his hands in Roy's dark hair as they feasted on each other's mouths.

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Well, there it is. I'm not sure if I succeeded or not but that's what it wanted to be. I will not apologize for it. Reviews are more than welcome. Flames are used to roast marshmallows and soften chocolate for s'mores.


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